One More Year
by Takamaru Riddle
Summary: “Ready sis?” he asked, not even looking at 'Dora, but focusing on the vast amounts of parents that were seeing their children off. “More than I will ever be,” came her quiet reply in her soft tone.
1. Another Ride, Another Year

King's Cross was as it normally was. 'Dora sighed, she had been coming here for the past six years, and this year would be no different. People would either be playing tricks on her, or they would, as she expected more than the other, be trying to give her more awards. You would think that she was some goddess or something, but that was definitely not the case. She wasn't even sure what they saw in her, but they saw something. Her brother, Michael, stood next to her, being a year under her. He scratched his head absentmindedly.

"Ready sis?" he asked, not even looking at 'Dora, but focusing on the vast amounts of parents that were seeing their children off. It had been too long since she had her mother to see her off, a year to be exact. Mainly it was because during the previous year of her attendance to Hogwarts, her mother had become ill and died right before Christmas holidays. However, she was lucky that she was to come of age during that time, and was thus able to continue the care for her brother. But the question still lingered. Was she ready?

"More than I will ever be," came her quiet reply in her soft tone. She brushed a few strands of her silver-blond hair out of her face. Drawing in a breath, she took a few strides forward, her trunk following her intently as though being guided by some creature. Michael followed his sister, pulling his trunk as he followed. People glanced her way, some of them she could tell were only smiling to be polite, and some were only smiling because their parents were near, and they didn't want their parents to know what hoodlums they were.

When she made it to the cargo departments of the Train, she flicked her wand and the Trunk lifted off the ground and fitted itself into the compartment. She flicked her wand at her brothers, who repeated the process. Michael caught the nearest door and allowed his sister to walk through. She smiled, and the two parted ways. She walked towards the front of the train, he walked towards the back of it. She stopped before she came to a cabin in which the Prefects and the Head Boy would preside. She put a smile on her face, however forced it was, and pushed the door open. Hannah Potter, and young Septimus Malfoy sat in there alone, their mouths locked together as though breathing into each other in order to survive.

Hannah was only a sixth year, and Septimus had just become of his fifth. Both of whom were in the house Slytherin. She smiled curtly towards the two, and turned as a few more people walked in. Once they had seated themselves a boy, one that she would have rather steered clear of, for more reasons than she would dare speak, walked in.

"As you all know, Prefects and the Head Boy, and Girl, are to meet here in this cabin before the train takes off. The reasoning behind this, is because one, we must greet the newest additions to the prefect rank," his eyes drifted over to Malfoy, who was now staring at him intently, his tongue nowhere near that of Potter's, "And to introduce the older ones," he looked at everyone else, avoiding 'Dora's gaze.

"Now, I am, as I am sure you most likely know, Arcturus Riddle. I will have no abbreviations for my name, and you will address me as Arcturus if you dare speak to me at all," he smiled politely, those dark eyes penetrating them all, "I am Head Boy and if you have any questions you can see—"

'Dora coughed slightly.

"—me. Now, I would like to take this time and make sure that you all know that if you catch someone doing something they are not supposed to do, then you must—"

'Dora coughed a little more loudly, Malfoy snickered.

"—write them up, and give their name to either myself or your Head of House. If that is a—"

'Dora coughed louder than the two coughs combined. Arcturus glared her way.

"Would you like a cough drop _Elladora_?" he asked, nearly hissing her name. She smiled politely, "Oh heavens no, those things are horrible. I just thought that perhaps you would like to introduce the Head Girl to everyone," if looks could murder she would be six feet under. Arcturus looked as though he were going to strangle her, but she couldn't help to smile at him.

"Everyone, this is Elladora Grindelwald, the _Head Girl_..." his voice carried off as his eyes slowly turned towards the others in the car, "She has as much authority as myself, and names can also be given to her," his tone was dreadful, she smiled wider.

After the next ten minutes had passed by, in which the train had already left King's Cross and was on its way towards Hogwarts, 'Dora was headed down the corridors of the train trying to find a different compartment. She was, as she noticed, getting a lot of glares from lost of people, mostly the Gryffindors and the Slytherins, which, sadly, didn't surprise her in the slightest. Ever since she had outshone Arcturus in Charms class, Transfiguration Class, and in the Dueling club that had been established for Fifth year and up students, people seemed to not like her.

However, on the flip side, the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs liked her all the more because she, unlike most of them, stood up and had shown the nasty little Slytherin buggers that they, no matter the petty thoughts that went through their heads, did not rule the school. So, to irk them even more, she smiled politely to them.

After searching about twenty compartments, she found one with at least someone she knew. She tapped the compartment door, then slid it open, "Ginerva, do you mind if I join you?" Ginerva Marchbanks was in deed the offspring of Griselda Marchbanks, a Ministry of Magic employee from way back during the on going battles of Potter and Riddle. Ginerva didn't like to be called Ginerva, mainly because lots of people seemed to horribly mispronounce the word, and she had heard some pretty weird pronunciations of it. So she simply had people refer to her as Ginny.

"Knock yourself out," Ginny replied, never looking up from the book in her hands. She, like 'Dora, loved to read. It was something that had always captivated her, struck her fancy. She wasn't sure exactly what it was about it, but it was as though she could forget the world around her, and simply fade away. She could forget the suffering, the pain, the sorrow of her dreadful life, as she referred to it as, and melt into the fantasy world of some fictional character. 'Dora agreed that it was much more fulfilling than life itself, to some degree anyways.

"Good summer?" asked 'Dora.

"It was okay," came an answer, "Could have been better. Auntie Marietta passed about three weeks ago. Life hasn't been the same without her constantly walking around the house with her wand in tow yelling at how people these days didn't know a thing about proper magic. Yours?"

'Dora wasn't sure how to show her condolences, so she dismissed the subject, and answered the question, "Mine was alright. Mother died last Christmas so it has just been me and Michael around the house. I enjoyed being able to use magic, made cleaning and cooking much easier than I was expecting it all to be."

"Yes magic helps in many ways. I once thought that my mother was just superhuman or something, since she could clean the whole entire house before a guest arrived in like ten minutes. She never told, until I was eleven, that she was a witch, however, because she said I didn't show the normal signs that show around the ages of seven or eight," Ginny shrugged, "but, I got the letter, and here I am, not doing so bad, I don't think."

'Dora laughed. Ginny was obviously being modest. Ginny was a very talented witch. Sure, she probably couldn't win a duel with 'Dora or Arcturus, but she sure as hell could hold her own. Ginny was a master when it came to the Shield Charm. In fact, 'Dora wasn't sure she had ever seen a more perfected Shield Charm used than the one Ginny could conjure.

"You are good in your own ways." She smiled and turned towards the window. A water droplet appeared, and before 'Dora could finish blinking she could hardly see a foot out the window as water poured from the heavens sounding like marching army on the rooftop of the train. She smiled to herself. She loved the rain.


	2. Poor Little Longbottom

'Dora looked at her hands, they seemed so pale and deathly. She nearly shuddered. Tonight was one of those weird nights. The whole train ride had been drowned with water that fell from the heavens, and it didn't help that when they arrived at Hogwarts, the entire bit of grounds was covered in a dense fog. It was enough to send a chill down her spine. She wasn't sure what the hell was going on. It was the third of August, it wasn't even time for it to be cold, yet, the temperature was in the twenties. She could hear Ginny next to her, her robes pulled tightly around her body, her breathing irregular.

"Why is it so cold?" Ginny asked, her eyes surveying the area, the other students were either huddling together, or completely emerged in their robes. 'Dora didn't have an answer, and she didn't feel like letting the girl next to her know of her lack of knowledge. She could hear more people asking what was going on, and where the teachers were, and it was something that was starting to get to 'Dora; something wasn't right.

"Hey 'Dora!" came a shout from behind her, causing that head to turn. Her brother was coming up on her pretty quickly, and stopped so close to her that only she would be able to hear his voice, "someone is dead...teacher by the looks of it. We aren't sure who it is though. The face is all swollen, and filled with warts and other oddities. Mind helping us I.D. said corpse?" his arm was resting on hers. She nodded, trying to swallow back her fear.

They walked over to where a group of Seventh years were standing. Arcturus Riddle was one of them. He was leaning over the body of someone. The body, had it been standing, would have been around six feet tall, and would have weighed about two hundred and ten pounds. The hair was short and black, and as Michael had said, the features indiscernible. Riddle's wand was out, and was running over the face, hovering perhaps an inch from the skin. It was glowing a reddish pink color, and he was mumbling something that sounded like a song.

"I can't seem to affect it," he said, more so to himself than to anyone around him. 'Dora pulled her wand from her sleeve and pointed it at the corpses face. She muttered something and her wand went into action. With a spiraling flick a blast of purple light rained down from her wand covering the corpses face. Arcturus pulled his hand away as though it had been burned. The warts and other extreme oddities that were upon its face seemed to swell then disappear. The face was no longer blood red as it seemed to deflate. She looked in utter shock. Before her lay the corpse of Neville Longbottom.

"Good lord.." said Arcturus, standing up and taking about five steps backwards. It was okay when he was near the corpse of someone whose features he couldn't make out. The corpse of someone he had no idea as to whom it was. But when it was someone that had been teaching him how to handle the vast amounts of magical plants in this horrible and cruel world for over six years. Well, even he would step back.

"Out of my way I say!" came a voice over to 'Dora's left. She turned her head, the contorted face of Neville burned into her mind. A witch, Ministry Official by the looks of it, was making her way through the crowd, "I said get out of my way boy. If I repeat myself again..." but her voice trailed away as she saw a body lying between a small group of seventh years. She gasped and with a solid flick of her wand, the boys that were in front of her fell to either side, grasping at their shoes as though something were eating them.

"Which one of you did it?!?" She cried, her wand pointing dangerously at 'Dora and Arcturus, the only two out of the group that had their wands out, "I say which one of you did it?!?" she jabbed Arcturus in the chest, indicating that she thought he was the culprit.

"Janet, it couldn't have been one of them, their just children.." said a stern male voice from behind her. It was a stout wizard, he stood nearly six and a half feet tall, his body was sculpted magnificently. He placed a hand on Janet's shoulder and redirected her from the two students, "You are going to have to come with us to describe what was seen," he said to everyone that was over there, he turned to a group of wizards working their way through, "A man has just been killed, alert the Minister."

'Dora stood there, shock at what had happened being a major understatement. Here she was, expecting to return to school and be in her dorm room by now sitting by a comfortable fire, but no. Nothing ever worked out how she would have liked. Now she was, along with every other student that had been on the train, standing out in twenty degree weather staring at a group of wizards and a professor's corpse. It was a enough to make her faint.

She woke up, a dull throbbing in her right temple. She was in that warm room that she expected, or at least something that seemed a lot like it. Her vision was horribly blurred. She grasped her head and looked around. It wasn't at all like the Hufflepuff common room. This room was filled with black, silver, and purple colors. The furniture was not leather, but of some scrubby material. There were what looked like pictures of people all over the wall. She sighed to herself.

Once her vision was back, she sat up, by which time two witches had scurried her way. One of them placed a hot rag on her head, the other handed her a glass of Pumpkin juice. She sipped at the glass, and looked around. The witches went outside the room and were soon replaced by three males. One of whom she recognized very well. It was the Minister, and better yet, Harry Potter.

"Ms. Grindelwald, you gave us a small fright," he said, the scar on his forehead being the only thing that she could seem to keep her eyes on, "is everything okay?"

"Where...where am I?" she said, her throat hurt as her voice came out. She swallowed more pumpkin juice, now realizing that her throat had been hurting the whole time.

"You are in a small meeting room in the Three Broomsticks. It seems that you fainted at the sight of Mr. Longbottom," she noted the pain in his eyes as he said the name, "but it seems you have not sustained any damage from the fall. But you have to answer me, did you see anyone out of the ordinary tonight?"

"No."

"So it was just you and the fellow students?"

"Yes, me and the other students. Come to think of it, there were no professors around like their normally are when we get off the train."

"No one? Or you just didn't happen to see anyone?"

"No one," she drank some more of the pumpkin juice. Harry looked her in the eyes, and the said, "We need to make sure," before she had time to think about reaching for her wand, which wouldn't have done her any good seeing as how it was across the room, Harry's wand was pointed at her and he had muttered something. A piercing pain shot through her head as she seemed to be swimming in the memories of what had just previously happened.

"_Why is it so cold?" Ginny asked..._'Dora felt another surge of pain.._"Hey 'Dora! Someone is dead...teacher by the looks of it. We aren't sure who it is though. The face is all swollen, and filled with warts and other oddities. Mind helping us I.D. said corpse?" _She tried to scream but there was no way her voice would allow it. She made a choking sound and could see her brother leading her through the crowd towards the small group of Seventh Years. She watched her hand as it extended and her wand sprayed purple light upon Neville's face. She gasped feeling was seemed a blow to her stomach. She was in the room again.

"She isn't lying, she hasn't seen anyone of use. Though go find the Riddle boy, I want to question him again," Potter looked back into 'Dora's eyes and smiled, then turned and left. 'Dora sat there shaking, she was no longer warm. She felt as though she were standing out in the cold once more. Something wasn't right. She turned towards the desk that held her wand. She picked up, having walked over there, and set it in her pocket. Stepping outside the room, one of the male wizards was standing there. He looked her way, and nodded in the direction of the way out. She quickly made for the door, ready to be back in her common room.


	3. A Nightmare's As Real As A Dream

_'Dora took a step down the hallway. It was dark and gloomy, something just wasn't right. She reached in her pocket and was unable to find her wand. She turned around quickly. That was impossible, she had just had it in her pocket. She had just put it there! She started to go back, but she stopped mid-step. The passageway seemed to disappear. She turned back the other way. A figure stood there. _

"_Little, little, little girl. What are you doing out here all alone?" asked the robed figure. It seemed to be wearing a mask, one made of bone. She couldn't distinguish as to whether or not it was a female or male voice. Its vocal tones changed pitch after nearly every syllable. _

"_Wh...who are you?" she said, her breathing was starting to speed up, she could nearly feel her heart in her head. The figures head, at least that was what she was sure it could be called, twisted and its hand went deep into its robes. Out came a wand, whiter than the moon. She guessed it was about seventeen to nineteen inches long. It too seemed to be made of bone, which bone she dared not guess. _

"_Death m'dear," he tapped his wand forward, "**Avada Kedavra**," a green light filled the dark area. She screamed._

"'Dora!" cried Ginny as she stood over 'Dora's bed staring at her friend who had been screaming aloud, thrashing about in her bed. Ginny had thought it was just a dream, at least she did, but when 'Dora's face was filled with blood from a nose bleed, her thoughts of a dream were thrown out of the window. She had her wand in her right hand, little good it was doing, and she was screaming "'Dora" over and over again, the rest of the dorm now standing over the bed.

Ginny screamed her name once more, now engrossed in tears. Someone next to her pointed their wand forward and whispered, "_Tergeo_," causing the blood on 'Dora's face to suck into the wand tip as though being vacuumed up. 'Dora let out another piercing scream, then was still. Ginny, who was now hysterical, was sitting against the bed frame muttering to herself. The other girls stood over 'Dora, one with her hand on 'Dora's throat monitoring the pulse. She shook her head, and Ginny nearly fainted. 'Dora lay there, her body still with death.

'Dora shot up in a sitting position, her eyes open wide, and she screamed so loudly that within seconds of the scream Professor Higgins came running in, along with a few of the boys from the boys dorm, whom had been woken up by her screams.

"Ms. Grindelwald," said Higgins, her hands on 'Dora's shoulders. 'Dora sat there her mouth wide with a piercing scream that wouldn't end. Her eyes were wide, unblinking, and glossed over. Her pupils were so dilated that Ginny could have stuck her wand tip into it, perfect fit. Higgins pointed her wand at 'Dora and the silencing charm suddenly activated itself canceling the scream that had been causing everyone to cover their ears.

'Dora's jaw relaxed, her eyes rolled back into her head, and she lay there, no breathe escaping her lungs. Ginny felt a pang in her heart. She couldn't believe that she was losing 'Dora, the love of her life. She couldn't believe that she was leaving her alone in this world. She felt pings of hatred towards 'Dora for leaving her. Felt pings of hatred because 'Dora was getting the easy way out of facing the world. Yet, at the same time, she felt so much sorrow, she wasn't even sure she could bare looking at her lost love, her lost friend, anymore.

Higgins placed her hand over the eyes of 'Dora, and pulled the eyelids closed. She sighed. Never before had she ever had a student die, or seen on die, while she was working as staff for Hogwarts. But, there was always a first for everything.

'Dora gasped. Her eyes darting open, everyone in the room letting out the scream this time. 'Dora sat there shaking, her eyes normal, though her skin pale. She looked around, trying to speak, but no voice came out. Higgins flicked her wand removing the charm, her hands shaking. She was not sure what to think.

"What..." 'Dora coughed repeatedly, "What happened?" She had the covers of the bed pulled tightly around her. She was freezing. She felt as though she were sitting in the middle of the Black Lake, in December, naked. Ginny, unable to control herself, ran over and hugged the girl. 'Dora heard her whisper, "Don't you ever scare me like that again.." as tears ran from her eyes and onto 'Dora's shoulder. She still wasn't sure what Ginny was talking about, but whatever it was was apparently not good.

"We need to get you to the Hospital Wing, Ms. Grindelwald," said Higgins walking over to her. She helped her up, 'Dora having trouble at first to stand. Ginny helped Higgins guide her as they headed to the hospital wing, all the other students wanting to come also. Higgins waved them back telling them that they would have plenty of time to see her later.

Once they had arrived at the Hospital wing, and 'Dora had been placed in one of the beds, a varied amount of potions on a table next to her that she had to take, she looked over to Ginny and asked, "What exactly happened?"

"You scared the living shit out of me, that is what!" said Ginny, her eyes red and swollen from crying, " How could you not know what happened. You were screaming, your eyes looked like those of death-"

'Dora twitched at the word.

"-and you were so pale. It was dreadful, you had me so scared. And at one point you were dead! I mean, there was no pulse, no breathing, no nothing. You were just laying there, cold as could be. And then you woke up. I mean, what the hell was that?!?" Ginny sat on the bed next to 'Dora, her hand grasping 'Dora's for support.

"I just remember my dream...and that is all. I remember swirling in darkness, being hit from all sides. It felt like someone had blindfolded me, and had me standing in a room where people were able to hit me repeatedly. I hear laughing. Lots and lots of laughing," she swallowed, "and then nothing was dark anymore. And there you were lying before me...dead...broken..pale.." her voice died. She couldn't even go on to recount what all she had seen. She couldn't stand having seen her dearest friend, her greatest love, dead before her eyes.

She had seen Ginny's body lying on the ground, her legs wide open, blood pouring out from her vagina onto the ground where it puddled. Her entire body was covered in bruises. Her eyes were open wide in horror. She was missing her left nipple. Her beautifully carved breasts now looking like nothing more than lumps in her skin. The missing nipple was lying not two inches away from her head. Her feet had holes that had been drilled in the center of them, from the bottom, and out of the top. She had burns all over her body, to muggles it would have seemed to be cigarette burns, but to 'Dora it looked like someone took their wand tip and placed it on her repeatedly allowing heat to radiate and burn into her skin. Her nose had been broken, and her beautiful teeth were gapped, her mouth flooded with blood.

'Dora knew that she would, from this day, always fear losing Ginny even more. And she knew that the image of her in such a state would forever be imprinted in her mind haunting her over and over. Ginny could see the look of pain on 'Dora's face. She placed her left hand on the right cheek of 'Dora, and she leaned down, slightly pulling 'Dora's faced towards her, and their lips touched. 'Dora felt Ginny's tongue slide into her own. She tasted Ginny again, the first time in a summer. The kiss was filled with so much passion, had anyone been near them, they would have been able to feel it as much as the ones kissing could. 'Dora thanked the lord she had Ginny in her life, and she silently vowed that she would never let her friend end up in that state she had foreseen.


	4. Sometimes Its Better To Just Be Quiet

It had been about a week since 'Dora had been taken to the Hospital wing, and getting out of it was the best thing that she could ever remember happening to her. She definitely enjoyed the special treatment from some of her friends, and the fact that her brother constantly dropped boxes of chocolate off for her to snack on. She loved chocolate, wasn't sure what it was about it, for she hated any other sweet candy, but chocolate made her day. Maybe it was because she was a woman, she just wasn't sure.

She stepped outside the hospital wing dressed in her robes that Ginny had dropped off the night before. She would be attending classes again, something that she wasn't sure that she would like or not. She had never been one to really care for classes, at least not Transfiguration or Charms, because it seemed to her that she knew the spells, and how to use them, and had them perfected way before they actually started learning them. Like in her fourth year, she was already showing some of the seventh years off in transfiguration. She wasn't sure whether or not she should have been doing that, because she could have received some very bad attention, but she was young at the time, and none of that entered her head.

She strolled down the halls. Everything was as it normally was. Quiet. Classes had started about six minutes ago, and she knew that she would be late, but at the moment, she wasn't sure if she really cared. After all, it wasn't like she was going to be learning something she didn't already know. She was supposed to be in Charms at the moment, a class that had definitely started to prove itself more useless every time she appeared than Divinations.

Finally reaching the door, she pushed it open. As she walked in all the heads turned towards her, and the Professor at the front lifted her head and said, "Glad you decided to join us, Ms. Grindelwald," before looking back down and finishing reading sections of the book in front of her to right on the board.

'Dora wasn't sure whether she should take offense to Professor Higgins' comment, or not. So, instead, she walked forward passing the multiple people, and found her a seat next to Ginny, who was leaning back in her seat rather board. Her brown hair was pulled up in a ponytail that was rather high on her head, though the tips of her hair still reached her mid-back. Her almond colored eyes looked at 'Dora lustfully, her emerald earrings hanging down from her ear about an inch twirling in delight.

'Dora smiled at her, her own luscious green eyes staring into Ginny's. 'Dora's hair, unlike Ginny's, was worn down, it was straighter than normal, and barely touched past her shoulders. Her hair was so blond that it was almost white. It was, as she assumed, the veela that made her hair have such a color. She was wearing two silver rings in her ears, both highly close to the top, and both on her let ear. Her hair was tucked behind that ear, while the hair on the other side of the head was covering her right ear.

Both girls were wearing their school uniforms. Though, under their skirts, they wore nothing. Mainly they liked the comfort, but also, when they were alone, they needn't go through layers of clothing. 'Dora looked up the the notes that were on the board. They were talking about the N.E.W.T.'s, something that she didn't give a damn about, for she knew she would pass the ones she was taking.

"If you would all," Higgins looked towards 'Dora, "_all_ please pull out your wands. I know that this is something that you would normally do in Defense Against the Dark Arts class, but seeing as how events changed in the world as of last night, I think that even the Shield Charm should be mastered in the Charms Classroom also. Now, minor hexes please, and you will have to deflect them, etc. You know the drill," she waved her hands, and stepped out into the hallway, a figure standing with her talking.

'Dora looked at Ginny, who had pulled her wand out. Both of them stood, as did everyone else in the room. 'Dora nodded at Ginny letting her know that they were going to make this into a little game. Before the teacher had time to say "go," 'Dora's wand flicked forward and searing hot bright red sparks fired forward towards Ginny, who lazily flicked her wand causing them to bounce of an invisible surface and back towards 'Dora, who, with a tad more enthusiasm than Ginny, sent them back towards Ginny with the same counter spell. Everyone started to laugh as they kept the sparks flying back and forth, both girls looking like that would much rather be masturbating to Asian porn or something.

"Girls," said Higgins walking back into the room, looking as though someone had shoved their wand in her anus, "This is not what I meant. If you can't take my class seri—"

'Dora flicked her wand and the sparks shattered into thousands of little ones covering the room in red lights.

"—ously, then don't come, or you will start finding yourselves in even more detention than I can give!" 'Dora paid her no attention. She turned and looked at Ginny, smiling wickedly, then turned back towards Higgins.

"Well perhaps if you could teach us something. I mean, seriously, how is the Shield Charm going to protect you against 'Avada Kedavra'? Its like saying, 'Use this piece of glass to protect yourself from the brick he is throwing at you,'" she rolled her eyes, "Lets go professor. Me and you. You show me that the stuff you are teaching us is going to be effective if we are attacked, and I will stop giving you trouble, and learn it," She tilted her head to the side.

Higgins looked at her incredulously, "Are you serious?" she asked, looking as though she had just been presented with the most absurd idea.

"Afraid I will win?"

"No.."

"Then what's stopping you?"

"You're a student..I can't.."

"I think you are afraid I will embarrass you. Understandable, especially after seeing how you teach the class.."

"_Confringo_!" Higgins wand snapped forward and a bright baby blue stream of light shot forward forming into what looked like an abnormal sized bullet, or a large baby blue rock. 'Dora, barely having time to react, pulled her wand up as fast as possible. Her shield charm activated just in time to take the blast from the spell. She was knocked off balance, and stumbled backwards trying to regain her step.

Higgins took another step forward, "_Deprimo! Deprimo! Deprimo!_" streams of light similar to the one she had sent previously erected from her wand towards the off balance 'Dora, who, this time having more time to react, flicked her wand towards Higgins. The first formation of light shattered like a glass ball hitting cement from a two story drop. She flicked her wand from an underhand stab and the second blast of light shot towards the ceiling where it blasted vast amounts out of the stone to rain down on them. She flicked her wand at the last light formation, and muttered, "_Expulso_!" a formation of light erupted from her own wand flying towards Higgins'. The two collided sending a wave of shock throughout the entire room. Two glass vases shattered into thousands of pieces allowing the water to run onto the floor, and the flowers to follow it. Higgins covered her eyes for a split second, the second that 'Dora needed. Her wand went into vast amounts of twists, thrusts, and flicks creating a fiery rope emanating from the tip of her wand. Within seconds it formed what looked like a lasso. She flicked it and the fiery ropes shot forward like a whip towards the shocked professor.

Higgins brought her wand up and the fiery rope tip hit a solid invisible surface. Higgins grimaced, and flicked her wand forward causing the fire to twist uncontrollably until it formed into a large ball. 'Dora looked disgusted. Higgins seemed to be so preoccupied trying to keep the vast amounts of fire under control of her magic, she failed to pay attention to 'Dora, who, flicked her wand at the fire causing it to explode. But rather than ignite everything in the room, it simply passed through it as though it were a projection. Higgins gasped as a blast of solid white sparks fired forward connecting with her chest. She was lifted about five feet into the air, and thrown backwards across the classroom into the wall. She landed with a thud, her eyes closing as she lost conscience.

'Dora stood there, sweat fell from her brow, her hair was stuck to her face. The students in the clasroom were hiding behind desks and what not, all looking amazed. Everyone was quiet. 'Dora smiled, and looked at Higgins, "Guess I win.."


End file.
